Archive for the ‘makeup’ Category

I’ve just come back from a long stay with my great-aunt (whose Ayurvedic skincare tips I shared here)– and this meant spending many enjoyable hours glued to Indian soap operas on channels Star Plus, Sony Entertainment Television, and Zee TV. Tonight I’ll share with you how to recreate looks worn by most of the heroines in these shows!

FACE

It’s an unspoken rule of daytime dramas around the world: go heavy on the foundation! To get the Hindi serial actress look, use MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in a shade the suits you and layer, layer, layer. This particular foundation will function as a concealer, heavy-coverage foundation, and mattifying powder in one. Soap actresses don’t tend to wear dewy makeup; the pancake look means totally matte and completely flawless all the way.

EYES

Keep the eye makeup simple and sweet. Sweep a matte light or medium brown eyeshadow over the lids. Line the upper lashline and upper and lower waterlines with a brown eye pencil. If desired, lightly line the brown eye pencil along the lower lashline as well.

Tonight I’m covering a very popular topic– and perhaps the most important one for every Indian woman to learn about. Concealing under eye darkness.

Well, ladies. We’ve all got it. It’s here to stay. Under eye darkness is hugely prevalent among South Asian women; it’s a result of bone structure and genetics.

Though it’s impossible to get rid of completely, there are some tips and tricks that can help reduce the appearance of under eye darkness:

Almond oil. Using your ring finger, gently massage almond oil around your eyes (from the outside-in under the eyes and from the inside-out on the lids and brow area) after thoroughly removing your makeup every night.

Drink lots of water. Stay hydrated; it’ll help keep your skin plump and dewy. If you are dehydrated, your under eye circles or hollows will only look darker and will take on a papery consistency.

Facial exercises. It makes sense, right? You exercise your body to keep it fit and to encourage blood circulation… do the same for your face!

Eat healthy, take your multivitamins. Darkness around the eyes could be a sign of vitamin or mineral deficiency. Eating well will also keep your energy levels up, which is crucial for bright eyes and glowing skin.

Do not spend too much time staring at the computer/TV. If you have to work at a desk for long hours, look away; focus your eyes on something far away from you at least once every 30 minutes (to relax the eyes).

Use an eye cream… if you feel like it works. I’m skeptical about eye creams– I think they’re a marketing gimmick for the most part– but since they are very popular among celebrities and dermatologists, maybe there’s something to it. As for my own personal experience, I’ve found that a light smear of Vaseline (petroleum jelly) under my eyes at night made my under eye hollows much less apparent the next day (superficial water retention)… but I recommend doing this only on occasion, as mineral oil can clog pores.

Don’t be sad about it. Do NOT use fairness creams; they could cause terrible damage to your eyes. Accept your under eye darkness… remember, your favorite Bollywood stars, from actress Rani Mukherjee to Sonam Kapoor, all have under eye darkness, and use makeup to hide it! You’re not alone!

Those are just a few ways you can try to lighten the skin under or around your eyes. But for many girls, these home remedies are simply not enough. That’s when we turn to concealer.

First of all- identify the problem. If you are an Indian, there is a fair chance that what you have are not under eye circles at all, but under eye hollows.

Kareena Kapoor rocking the under eye hollows!

Under eye hollows, as modeled by Bebo above, are extremely common for South Asian women; it’s a skull shape thing. It’s most noticeable on those of us with close-set eyes. Nothing can dramatically alter the hollows apart from plastic surgery. The undereye area is sort of indented and deep-set, and although the skin itself might not necessarily be terribly dark, the shape of the hollow creates a shadowy darkness that can be very difficult to lighten.

So what to do?

Cream concealer.

I recommend the amazing MAC Studio Finish Concealer SPF 35. It’s an opaque concealer, meaning it’s equipped to handle any concealing task you throw at it. Another benefit is that MAC concealers come in a wide range of shades, meaning there will be a match for everyone. (For reference, I use the NC 35 concealer on my NC 40-42 skin.) Go for a concealer that either matches your skin color or is one shade lighter.

As for liquid concealers… meh. I’ve tried both kinds and have always preferred cream concealers for their lasting power and their opacity. Liquid concealers are best suited for girls who need lighter coverage on under eye circles. Pair a liquid concealer with a brightening powder (Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder in #2) to set it for longer-lasting results. Brightening powders are said to help reduce the appearance of under eye hollows.

The key to concealing well is LAYERING. Don’t try and gob it on all at once. Using a clean finger, apply a very, very thin layer by dabbing and pressing gently. Do it again. And again, if needed, until the darkness is covered. Applying your under eye concealer in thin layers will help prevent creasing, caking, and overapplying. The heat generated from your finger will help melt and blend the concealer into your skin in a way that a brush can not, giving it a more natural appearance.

And that’s all there is to it! Hope this was helpful! Let me know all about your under eye concealing adventures. 🙂

Indian film actress Sneha Ullal debuted in the 2005 film “Lucky: No Time for Love”, co-starring Salman Khan; she then went on to star in hit Telugu films. The media was abuzz with comparisons between her and look-a-like Aishwarya Rai– but we at Jolie Asie think Sneha has a beauty and charm that’s all her own! I had the chance to interview Sneha on all of her beauty secrets recently; here’s what she had to say!

MEG: What is the secret to your gorgeous, flawless skin?

SNEHA: I always believe the less you play with your skin, the more clear and clean it’s going to stay… so ever since I’ve known about makeup, creams, oils, etc., I prefer to stay away. I feel the more you pamper your skin, the more prone it’s going to get to all these products. And it’s going to want it even more. And let’s face it, there’s chemicals in everything today. So my most basic secret is to just try and wash your face 3 to 5 times a day with plain water if your skin is dry or with the mildest soap if skin is oily. I don’t use face wash at all.

But I must say– and I don’t know if this is the reason — but it’s my belief, I have been using talcum powder on my face and body since childhood. And I’ve had a lot of milk too. And I mean a lot.

What is your diet and exercise routine like? Do you have any special tricks for staying slim and healthy?

I’m a vegetarian/eggtarian (not a lot of eggs, since they’re heaty), so my diet is all about spinach, fenugreek, potato, thyme, cottage cheese, etc. I’m not a rice person, so I have my wheat chapatis daily. [Plus] all kinds of lentils that help in protein levels… most food is cooked in minimum oil (preferably olive oil), which helps keep my stomach light and clear, and as we all know, a bad stomach means bad skin.

Exercise is mostly YOGA which is my favorite time of the day… includes stretching, light workout, and breathing (bandhas), which opens all the blocks in my body. It’s my belief that sweating is top secret for good skin.

What is your number one beauty tip for young women?

My tip for my girls out there would be “keep your stomach as light and healthy as possible and try to sleep without your phone next to you.” And stay away from heartbreaks, hehe.

How do you stay energized and fresh during long days on the sets?

If I have enough sleep and a light breakfast, I’m good to go at least 12 hours a day. A heavy breakfast makes me lazy, so I recommend something light, but don’t starve yourself like most women today… as it is the most importantly meal of the day. And it’s stupid, but I say, “the day is as good as your breakfast” :).

To feel fresh, inspite of my makeup artist hating this fact, but I do wash my face even with makeup on, as it feels clean. My most important thing is a perfume. I spray it almost every 2-3 hours especially while shooting; my favorites are Gucci Rush and Chanel Chance.

Can you tell us about some of your favorite beauty products?

You will always find me without makeup but if I have to wear some, here’s what I use: a liquid foundation of Guerlain Parure Gold with SPF only under the eyes, with a cover-up mix of MAC concealer in NC35. A very natural feminine blush on just the cheeks and chin– Guerlain Blush 4 Eclats’ Sculpting Blush in Rose Plein Vent. For my green eyes I prefer to go nude (without any eyeshadow; maybe a little cream to shine it up). But my mascara is nice and thin– 1 coat, no matter what. For my lips, I prefer no lipstick, but a healthy lip balm with some fruit extracts… I do Body Shop for that quite often.

What is your daily makeup routine?

Absolutely not a good idea to apply makeup everyday; of course when at work, then we have to… but if I have a meeting or an outing then it’s just undereyes and lip balm. 🙂

During my research for the How to Look Like Katrina Kaif post, I was baffled to learn how little makeup Kat actually wears. She swears by an illuminating concealer and a sheer loose powder. No foundation- powder, liquid, cream, or stick.

What an amazing difference! I now have perfect, Katrina-worthy results! I am giving all of my makeup-wearing friends (that includes you, dear reader) this shocking advice: DITCH THE FOUNDATION! Concealer is your BFF!

Too many girls waste oodles money by using their foundation as a concealer. This is one of the worst makeup mistakes you can possibly make. It breaks my heart to see this because it is a total misuse of the foundation– you lose precious product by asking it to do something it’s not meant to do! It’s like hiring a carpenter to fix your plumbing.

Why do most girls buy a foundation? To get flawless-looking skin. Unless you have uneven skin pigmentation or a dull complexion, concealer– and not foundation– is the key to flawlessness.

Foundations are meant to be sheer. Sheer products are not designed to cover blemishes effectively. If you are skipping concealer and going straight to foundation, you are almost certainly applying too much foundation to get that opaque concealer effect.

So try this: after you have applied your favorite opaque concealer (in the exact same color as your skin– not 2 shades lighter), dust a sheer powder over your skin to buff and blend the concealer in and mattify shine from your face cream.

If you have applied your concealer in the right places– over dark spots, redness, undereye circles, and acne– I promise you: you will feel no desire to smear foundation all over your face. Instead, your skin will breathe, will feel light, and look oh-so-natural.

Hi readers! I’m so happy to present another exclusive Jolie Asie beauty interview, this time with the well-established Bollywood hair and makeup artist, Ruhee M Bindra! Let’s get started!

Meg: What are some of your best Bollywood hair and makeup styling accomplishments?

Ruhee: My best Bollywood makeup and hair styling accomplishments have been on the films that I have worked on, like Chak De India, Rocket Singh, Fanaa, Band Baaja Baaraat, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic, Faltu, Ra. One, Luv Ka The End, and Wake Up Sid.

Tell us about your training and experience. How did you break into Bollywood and stay in the field, despite tough competition?

Ruhee: I have never got myself trained from any institute, nor have I ever assisted a senior makeup artist. I have always had a flair since I was a kid. I was very lucky and blessed to have got a chance to work with all the ace people in the industry. It was very tough for me, I really had to work hard to prove myself, as I had no portfolio neither experience nor a certificate. It was tougher for me to work and prove myself.

What is a typical day on film sets like for you? What do you do, who do you interact with?

Ruhee: Being on the sets for me is monitoring the work correctly. I’m a perfectionist so I believe in doing my work accurately, considering every aspect in details, keeping a watch on my assistants as well if they are doing their job correctly, and getting out the work peacefully and patiently.

What mistake do most Indian women make in regards to makeup, and how can they fix this?

Ruhee: Indian women usually feel by applying layers of makeup on their face, they’ll look prettier and brighter. Heavy makeup can make your features very harsh; they need a very light water-based foundation as per their skintone, a shade darker than their skintone, a loose translucent powder, a skin-color eyeshadow, kohl pencil, mascara, natural pink blush, and a nude lipstick.

What is the best way for women with acne or scars to apply their concealer and foundation for flawless skin?

Ruhee: For acne or scars, the best way to apply a foundation would be a waterproof silicone-based cake foundation. This is water-based, light, and at the same time, it covers the scars well and they get an even tone and flawless complexion.

How is film makeup different than other types of makeup? How are the application techniques different?

Ruhee: Film makeup is natural, minimal, and realistic as compared to fashion makeup. Film makeup varies from minimal to a glam doll look, depending on the requirement of the character. Fashion makeup demands very heavy, elaborate and glamorous look.

How can women get height and volume in their hair without teasing/backcombing it?

Ruhee: To create volume and height without backcombing, one can let down their hair completely and scrunch it with their hands and ruffle it with fingers, brush it with a paddle brush and flip back. Another way is cold blowdrying and diffusing it and spraying it. Another way is to stuff in a flat and thin layer of a black hair cushion inside the hair, camouflaging it and pinning it neatly from inside.

Got any final beauty/hair/makeup advice or recommendations for our readers?